Thank you for the testing. You are 1 of the main people I go to for information and have yet to be disappointed. Thanks for helping all of us knew folks and the others to!
I have been looking for a good comparison video ALL DAY. This is the only video I have seen with even a decent comparison. I do appreciate the controlled variables as well. Thanks so much! Do more comparisons if you haven't already!
Yes definitely try Fimo or Premo. You will be very happy with the results! Just so you know, Premo is my favourite because the colours are based on the artist pigment palette and mix with predictable results. But Fimo is a quality product as well, so it's your choice as which is better for you.
Cindy, you are such a joy to watch and learn from! I love your upbeat attitude throughout each video, and your hubs does a great job with the filming (very important). I look forward to all the tips and tricks you have yet to come. Thanks for being so great at what you do!
+PolymerClayTutor Thank you so much for all of your videos! I love your scientific approach to testing and experimenting with these clays. You make it fun and interesting to watch - I've shared your video on my blog because I just love how you explain your findings and hope that my readers will learn as much as I have from you too! Cheers! Looking forward to your future creations! :)
I always try to bake my clay for up to an hour, however I have found white clays yellow when they are over baked, so it would be interesting to see this repeated following the manufacturers guidance. However, I like the fact you did this, elements were really helpful, like the clarities :)
Hi BlackDawnYaoiLover, sometimes there is a slight tweak in formula or color of the clays over the years, but for the most part they are pretty much the same and should react the same in recipes. Thanks for commenting!
Hi Stiinuliinu, I have some videos coming up on cleaning your pasta machine as well as your hands and work area, so stay tuned for those. Make sure to subscribe to our channel so you don't miss them. Thanks for commenting!
Hi MrAuxiom, there are lots of ways to tint translucent clay. That question and most questions related to anything polymer clay have already been answered at my blog (link in Description). If you type your keyword into the search box on my blog you should be able to find your answer quite quickly! Thanks for commenting!
Hi Alyssa Nuguid, yes you can add colored clay to translucent to make colored translucent clay. You need to be careful not to add too much or you'll lose the transparency. You can use alcohol ink instead if you wish. Just add a little at a time till you get the color you want. Let the ink dry before mixing in tho, or it will get sticky. Have fun!
Hi superkitten211 and sweetcharmsdelight, thanks for commenting! There are lots of ways to soften clay, some of which sweetcharmsdelight already suggested (though I don't recommend you use rubbing alcohol or nail polish remover to soften clay). Sometimes however the clay may be partially baked and impossible to recondition. In that case you can usually mix it into soft clay as an inclusion and still make some neat beads. Go to my blog (link in description) for more ideas. Good luck!
I have been using clay for a long time now, and some of your tips I managed to figure out on my own, but others you have just helped me so much on improving my products. With a new baby I dont always have the time and money to test these things for myself so I am very grateful I found your channel. Just overnight you have increased the quality of my things :D
I am new to polymer clay and I really love your videos...they are so informative and helpful to me. Thank you for puttiing this information out there for all of us new to the world of polymer clay.
Hi TaeKeyLove00, generally Kato Polyclay is firmer than most brands, but you will find that all the brands can have inconsistencies with firmness. It depends on the batch, how fresh it is and how it was stored. I have bought two blocks of the same color clay, at the same time and had one block very firm and one block soft and squishy. As a clayer, you just need to learn how to deal with it, by leaching or softening... depending on what you need.
Hi Cindy, I always love your videos. They have been very helpful and informative. I just want to mention that Kato Clay also has two different translucent clays, translucent and translucent white. The white is much whiter
Hi AnthiemRose, I baked all the samples for one hour because I have found that they are much stronger when they are baked for longer than the package says. You are right about Sculpey discoloring if baked longer... but if you don't bake long enough it breaks (as you will see in the "10 minutes is Not Enough" video) These are a couple of reasons why I like Premo WAY more than Sculpey. I can bake it long enough to be strong and it won't discolor if you tent it. Watch my other videos to learn more.
This is a great video. I've been doing research about different clays and found that Premo Sculpey/Accents, Sculpey Ultralight and Kato Polyclay are going to be the three brands I'm gonna be getting since they seem to work the best for what I want to do. This really helped me narrow down what I should get. Can't wait to get to creating stuff.
Have watched many of your instruction videos and found them to be very helpful. Thank you for taking the time to do these experiments and sharing your experiences.
Hi Penny Marsh, translucent clay is one of my favorite polymer clays. Although it isn't completely clear, it is semi-transparent and allows a lot of light into it, which makes colors looks wonderful. If it is thin enough it can be quite clear and makes a great glassy and protective layer for many techniques such as my Faux Labradorite technique. Go to my blog (link in description) and do a search on translucent clay and you'll see all the cool things you can do with it!
Hi miirandaatje, those 'wierd stain bubbles' in your Fimo Translucent are often called Moons or Moonies by the claying community and are caused by a process called plaqueing. Basically it is a small separation in layers, usually caused by moisture. Fimo does that more than any of the other brands. It actually is a benefit when making faux stones because it looks more realistic. To minimize them, keep your hands dry and don't overwork your clay. Thanks for commenting!
Hi alecitalindis, although I prefer to only use Premo, it definitely improves the qualities of SculpeyIII if you mix some Premo in it. It is a good what to use up your Sculpey if you are switching over.
Wow I am so trying the baking soda thing!?! Great idea thanks! One thing for sure, this test you did lets us know how AMAZING that Fimo translucent is to come out that clear/white after baking a whole hour! That says a lot about the product. I might use that in combination with Premo for jewelry. I really do appreciate these tests you do!
Thank you for making this video Cindy, I quickly gave you a "like" because doing experiments like this saves money for artists that aren't sure what they should be buying on the every growing hobby market. As a newbie I purchased Kato telling myself it was the most expensive it must be the best, well if it was true didn't matter, the clay was impossible to work with for me. I ran into the snapping issue displayed here. I know from this I'll try Premo for my translucent purchase!
Hi Nino, I've done lots of tests so I know it's true. Baking Sculpey III for 15 minutes will break. Try some test samples yourself & bend them back and forth, you'll see how easy they'll snap. The pieces you use it for are probably designed in a way that they aren't very susceptible to breaking in the first place. For example a round bead is most likely not going to break because there are no pieces on it that would bend. But a little figurine with thin arms would break. Try it, you'll see.
Hi MitsukiChanEtc, Fimo bakes at a much lower temp than most of the other brands of clay. Although I do like to bake my pieces longer than the time it says on the package, I always bake that the temperature that it says. If your clay is discolouring, it means your oven is too hot. It sounds like the dial on your oven is wrong (most are), you need to get a separate oven thermometer to make sure that your oven is at the right temperature. For more baking info go to my blog. (Link in description).
Hi BlackDawnYaoiLover , the packaging for Sculpey III and Premo is the same in Canada as it is in the States. The packs that look different are the older ones.
Hi randommeghan, translucent clay is a little bit see through, so it lets more light into it. For a lot of the Faux techniques like Faux Jade for example, the stone has a transparent look to it and you can see some light through it when you hold it up to a light. Using translucent clay makes it look more realistic and less flat. Get some and try it out... you'll see why people use it. Have fun!
Thank you so much for this! I use to work with polymer clay years and years ago before translucent colors were really available. I found myself in need of making a custom earring set and wanted part of it transparentish. It's been so long since I worked with the clay that I didn't know what, if anything, has changed and how translucent the translucent clays really are. Your video answered my question, and also showed the durability, which is also something I didn't even consider until I watched your video. You are also a pleasure to watch, so I'm off to bring myself up to speed with your other videos!
Yeah the problem with Sculpey III is that if you don't bake it longer it will definitely break. One of the worst for breakage on the market. It does however discolor the longer it is baked. You can minimize that however, if you bake your Sculpey III pieces buried in a dish of cornstarch or baking soda. I suppose I could do another video of this type with times closer to the recommended time, but you'll be surprised at just how weak the pieces will be. Try it yourself you'll see what I mean.
Hi Crafty Moon, Clay burns only when the temp is too high. Not because it is in too long. At the right temp you can bake most clays for hours and they won't burn. (Some brands like Sculpey III might get darker but they won't burn.) Get an oven thermometer. That will tell you what temp your oven is actually at. On my blog (link up above in description) you can do a search for 'burning clay' or 'baking' and find tons of info on baking that will help you. Hope that helps!
This is a very interesting comparison, thank you for all your videos! One note I have is that I tested a very very old piece of Fimo Transparent and even on the thinnest setting I wasn't able to break it. It is true that it might have been in a batch I baked at a higher temperature (new oven and no over thermometer at the time). I guess I need to test more this idea of baking at higher temperatures, because almost all my old clays (some 6-8 years old), softened with baby oil, turned out very very strong (it did darken them, though).
I'm glad someone did a review of translucent clays. Sculpy III is junk no matter what color it is. I also like Premo the most. Thanks for taking the time to inform us on which brands are the best for translucency!
I bought a bunch of premo polymer clays yesterday MY FIRST POLYMER CLAYS! I bought the regular non soft premo because i'm going to make polymer clay cane eyeballs then after baking the eyes add them to the doll's head and sculpt a face around them.
I took your advice n bought 1lb of premo translucent white. Sculpy does break really easy in thin sheets. I make doll accessories with polymer clay and i find it hard to get the thin details if i use sculpy even if i bake for an hour or 15 minutes it just falls apart at the slightest pressure.
Hi! This is Korean fan of PCT~! PCT you really are amazing tutor ever..!! I really wanna know which brand is the most clearest, so you just give me an answer~ Thank you so much..! All of PCT's vids are wonderful! Happy new year~!
Welcome from Korea punkshu! Thank you for your kind words! This video on Pardo Translucent shows it to be the clearest clay that I know of: Pardo Translucent Professional Art Clay Review Next clearest is Premo White Translucent which I mostly use.
I am so happy that I bought Premo white translucent! I am going to be sculpting Zero from The Nightmare Before Christmas. I didn't want to use my white since he is a ghost. I am even more excited. I need to come in the mail grr. lol
I will be doing a review of Pardo clay soon. A local member generously offered some of her supply to try out, since where I was going to order from was out of stock.
Hi Allison Nguyen, a specific video on keeping clay clean would be good for me to do here. Thanks for the suggestion! I do have lots of info on my blog (link in description) though if you need help right away. Just type 'keeping clay clean' into the search box at the top of the blog page and some posts will show up that will help you. Good luck!
Great breakdown on the different properties that the different brands of polymer clays exhibit; the most informative I've been able to find. I'm wondering now if you also have one regarding the pros/cons of using each them, IE: what kinds of projects each may be best suited for and why. Thanks for sharing what you know! Mz VonTwiz
Great video! Thank you! As some one else already suggested, a video on how to kerp your clay clean, would be So helpful..! I have lots of trouble with dust (it's a 100yrs old house, it's in the walls, everywhere no matter what you do) and also cathair. I go nuts with my babywipes all over, but still my clay isn't clean.. :/ Suggestions? :)
The browning has to be from the 1 hour baking... I know, I know.. we talked about this in another of your videos lol.. That sculpey III turned the darkest cause it has the shortest bake time of 15 minutes. (makes since) I recently switched to Premo and it has 30 minutes. I would have loved to see a identical video like this one but with "closer" to recommended baking temps.
Interesting test results. The Premo and Fimo look pretty good, while the Sculpey III is reminiscent of having grade 4+ cataracts, tbh 😬 So, yeah, that would be a hard pass on the Sculpey III translucent if I ever use polymer clay 😄
Hi cindy, I would like to ask a question that might sound rather trivial. Why do you use translucent clay, what's its purpose?? I mean why and how do people use it in their projects??
Dear Cindy, Did you ever get around to working with KATO clay using the suggested time settings? I have heard it was supposed to cure a lot clearer and closer to it's uncured color. I love this tutorial by the way. Thank you.
Thanks Rose Abbott No I have not done further testing on Kato Polyclay yet. (Too many things to try and not enough time!) From my members who do use Kato, they say that they have found 40 minutes at 300F to be the most ideal for Kato. But since I have not done the testing myself I can not be positive on that. I do hope I can get to more testing in the new year. Thanks for your comment!
i currently have sculpey III and i do not like it ... i am looking more towards premo so im gonna have to buy some and try it out ! thankyou for making this !
Just found this video and thank you for uploading it, as I wondered about the different clays. I found exactly as you found, but did this before I knew you had already taken care of this. Two other things I found ... the Kato, at the recommended temp with longer bake time was very, very hard and I couldn't break it (thicker sample at about 6 cards). The other thing I found and for me, a deal breaker, is the difficult and lengthy conditioning process. Geez ... Kato took a long time to condition and due to that, I returned 18 packages of Kato clay and will stick with my Premo. LOL. Thank you again for your video.
Thanks for making such a great video. I origionally bought the Sculpey translucent clay and tried to bake something at the settings it recommends on the package and it completely burnt. I know it is not my oven because I bake all my other polymer clay objects in the same oven all the time. Based on your testing, maybe I should try out the Fimo or Premo translucent clay.
Hi 101raindrop1, check out my video on baking your polymer clay for 1 hour instead of only 10 or 15 min. You will see it makes an enormous difference in strength and if you use Premo clay and bake at 265F-275F using an oven thermometer, you will not have any issues with burning or discoloring. The manufacturers just put those times on the pack, because they know people's oven are most often off temp and they don't want people to burn their clay. Do the tests... you'll see.
Thank you Nukawin There are many ways to tint translucent clay. You can use a tiny bit of colored clay, alcohol ink, even Sharpies. I will add this topic to my list of future videos. Thanks for commenting!
Hey there, I have just started with polymer clay, and I really enjoy your tutorials. I have a dumb question: What is translucent clay used for? Can you dye it with ink or paint, so that you don't have to buy multiple colors of clay? But then you would have to buy multiple colors of ink. I have never seen it used in any of the RUclips videos that I've watched to make beads. Thanks for your input.
Awesome video as always Cindy! Do you have any information available for the best way to condition translucent clay to help with plaque deposits, bubbles, etc?
Hello I'm looking at using Translucent Clay for making hollow crystals to be used as light filters in a LARP system I attend Questions: 1: How would I go about giving it a Blue tint (similar to a lens Filter) 2: Once baked how are they with dealing with heat
I'm so glad that you did this comparison! Thank you so much for bringing us another great tutorial. I just wish I had watched it BEFORE I bought my Sculpey III Translucent. :( Do you think you'll be doing another one for some of the other types like Translucent Pardo Professional Art Clay or Cernit? I'm having so much fun with this craft and testing stuff. It's like science class only better!
Seems like an hour is quite long amount of time for such thin sheets of clay. With premo I recently baked a 3/4-1 inch thick little pig for about 25 ish minutes and it was baked nicely with no problems. Why did they turn yellow? Well, thanks for your video!! ☺
I want to add something g to my comment. I am NOT an experienced polymer clay artist and have very little experience. I have been watching Polymer Clay Artists videos for months now and have learned so much! Thank you!! My previous comment is that of a very new clay artist. Just wanted to relay my own personal experienc!! Thanks!!
Thanks for the video. I am brand new at this craft and will be making basket centers with the clay. I purchased Kato and it should be arriving anyday now. What is the best best brand of oven to purchase for this process that doesn't take up a lot of space or do you use the kitchen oven?
paty to I haven't tried it myself since it is not easily available here in Canada, but when I get the chance I will. It sounds like an interesting clay!
premo white translucent is my absolute favorite clay to work with. where did you get that set with all of those little drawers for clay? i use plastic bags in a drawer right now but omg that is a genius set up i need it in my life.
That's weird, I already answered this... wonder where my answer went? No worries. The raw clay will look kind of pinkish but when it is baked it will go bake to red... a more translucent red, but still red.
Thank you so much for a great video! I'm just getting interested in working with polymer clay, and this is a HUGE help. I'll do a search, but have you ever used alcohol ink on polymer? If so, did you like the results?
I use sculpey III and it is perfectly fine! dose not breake or crack, but i bake it fo 15 min. maby that is why yours breakes? if you would do a test on that and make a video I would realy appreciate. tanks.
Hi Cindy! I'm pretty new to claying and I've bought all Sculpey III clays. I've just watched your video and will be purchasing a better brand for the future. If I leached some of the oil from the Sculpey, would that make it stronger?
Thanks! You are right about light colors darkening if baked longer then suggested. The problem is if they're not baked longer, they are not as strong as they should be. Check out my RUclips video called How Long Do You Bake Polymer Clay? ~ Ten Minutes is NOT Long Enough. You'll see what I mean. You can help with browning issues by tenting the clay or burying your pieces in Baking Soda (Bicarbonate of Soda). Hope that helps!
Dear Cindy, I would to ask you if ever we can mix white sculpy 3 with polymer clay or premo accents or premo, I have with me some with and ecru that I bought by mistake at Michaels and brought it with me in Europe, so I wonder if I can mix it or if I can use it as a base so I can cover it with slices of canes made of Fimo or Premo. Thank you
I am a beginner and I am researching what I need to start and a lot call for e.g. 20% translucent and the rest a certain colour. Can you explain why you would need to mix translucent please? I would like to thank you for your channel as you have helped me get started!! ❤️
You're welcome! People often add translucent to make light enter the clay a little more and give the clay color more depth and make it look more realistic. You'll find this is especially the case with things like flowers, dolls, even things like miniature food.
Cindy is it true that the longer you bake the clay the stronger it is? I also would like to know how long you bake a cuff bracelet that it will be flexible?
Yes that is generally correct! You may want to do some testing to figure out the perfect temp and time for your oven, type of clay you're using and the project you're making, but in most cases when I am working with Premo or Souffle, I bake everything for an hour at 275F. Hope that helps!
There are a few new brands of translucent clays on the market like Cernit, Pardo, BeeSPutty, PVClay and others, but the info in this video stands the test of time (most of my videos do actually). 🙂
PolymerClayTutor I figured but you never know when formulas get improved. I just bought the premo translucent but it’s surprisingly hard to find white translucent 1lb online.
Thank you for the testing. You are 1 of the main people I go to for information and have yet to be disappointed. Thanks for helping all of us knew folks and the others to!
I have been looking for a good comparison video ALL DAY. This is the only video I have seen with even a decent comparison. I do appreciate the controlled variables as well. Thanks so much! Do more comparisons if you haven't already!
Thank you for your lovely comment! Happy to help! 💖💖💖
Yes definitely try Fimo or Premo. You will be very happy with the results! Just so you know, Premo is my favourite because the colours are based on the artist pigment palette and mix with predictable results. But Fimo is a quality product as well, so it's your choice as which is better for you.
Cindy, you are such a joy to watch and learn from! I love your upbeat attitude throughout each video, and your hubs does a great job with the filming (very important). I look forward to all the tips and tricks you have yet to come. Thanks for being so great at what you do!
Missy Bolend Thank you! :)
+PolymerClayTutor Thank you so much for all of your videos! I love your scientific approach to testing and experimenting with these clays. You make it fun and interesting to watch - I've shared your video on my blog because I just love how you explain your findings and hope that my readers will learn as much as I have from you too! Cheers! Looking forward to your future creations! :)
+The Dribbly Pear Thank you so much for sharing our video! I love you sweet comment and am happy that the videos are helpful for you. Take care!
Missy Anne I
I always try to bake my clay for up to an hour, however I have found white clays yellow when they are over baked, so it would be interesting to see this repeated following the manufacturers guidance. However, I like the fact you did this, elements were really helpful, like the clarities :)
Hi BlackDawnYaoiLover, sometimes there is a slight tweak in formula or color of the clays over the years, but for the most part they are pretty much the same and should react the same in recipes. Thanks for commenting!
Hi Stiinuliinu, I have some videos coming up on cleaning your pasta machine as well as your hands and work area, so stay tuned for those. Make sure to subscribe to our channel so you don't miss them. Thanks for commenting!
Thanks. This is exactly the information I was looking for. Wonderful to find it. Love that you went into such detail and tested the strength as well.
Hi MrAuxiom, there are lots of ways to tint translucent clay. That question and most questions related to anything polymer clay have already been answered at my blog (link in Description). If you type your keyword into the search box on my blog you should be able to find your answer quite quickly! Thanks for commenting!
Hi Alyssa Nuguid, yes you can add colored clay to translucent to make colored translucent clay. You need to be careful not to add too much or you'll lose the transparency. You can use alcohol ink instead if you wish. Just add a little at a time till you get the color you want. Let the ink dry before mixing in tho, or it will get sticky. Have fun!
Hi superkitten211 and sweetcharmsdelight, thanks for commenting! There are lots of ways to soften clay, some of which sweetcharmsdelight already suggested (though I don't recommend you use rubbing alcohol or nail polish remover to soften clay). Sometimes however the clay may be partially baked and impossible to recondition. In that case you can usually mix it into soft clay as an inclusion and still make some neat beads. Go to my blog (link in description) for more ideas. Good luck!
I have been using clay for a long time now, and some of your tips I managed to figure out on my own, but others you have just helped me so much on improving my products. With a new baby I dont always have the time and money to test these things for myself so I am very grateful I found your channel. Just overnight you have increased the quality of my things :D
I am new to polymer clay and I really love your videos...they are so informative and helpful to me. Thank you for puttiing this information out there for all of us new to the world of polymer clay.
This was an excellent and Much needed comparison of the translucent clays. I've been doing some work with faux stone and love the translucent clays!
Hi TaeKeyLove00, generally Kato Polyclay is firmer than most brands, but you will find that all the brands can have inconsistencies with firmness. It depends on the batch, how fresh it is and how it was stored. I have bought two blocks of the same color clay, at the same time and had one block very firm and one block soft and squishy. As a clayer, you just need to learn how to deal with it, by leaching or softening... depending on what you need.
Hi Cindy, I always love your videos. They have been very helpful and informative. I just want to mention that Kato Clay also has two different translucent clays, translucent and translucent white. The white is much whiter
Hi AnthiemRose, I baked all the samples for one hour because I have found that they are much stronger when they are baked for longer than the package says. You are right about Sculpey discoloring if baked longer... but if you don't bake long enough it breaks (as you will see in the "10 minutes is Not Enough" video) These are a couple of reasons why I like Premo WAY more than Sculpey. I can bake it long enough to be strong and it won't discolor if you tent it. Watch my other videos to learn more.
This is a great video. I've been doing research about different clays and found that Premo Sculpey/Accents, Sculpey Ultralight and Kato Polyclay are going to be the three brands I'm gonna be getting since they seem to work the best for what I want to do. This really helped me narrow down what I should get. Can't wait to get to creating stuff.
Have watched many of your instruction videos and found them to be very helpful. Thank you for taking the time to do these experiments and sharing your experiences.
Hi Penny Marsh, translucent clay is one of my favorite polymer clays. Although it isn't completely clear, it is semi-transparent and allows a lot of light into it, which makes colors looks wonderful. If it is thin enough it can be quite clear and makes a great glassy and protective layer for many techniques such as my Faux Labradorite technique. Go to my blog (link in description) and do a search on translucent clay and you'll see all the cool things you can do with it!
Hi miirandaatje, those 'wierd stain bubbles' in your Fimo Translucent are often called Moons or Moonies by the claying community and are caused by a process called plaqueing. Basically it is a small separation in layers, usually caused by moisture. Fimo does that more than any of the other brands. It actually is a benefit when making faux stones because it looks more realistic. To minimize them, keep your hands dry and don't overwork your clay. Thanks for commenting!
Hi alecitalindis, although I prefer to only use Premo, it definitely improves the qualities of SculpeyIII if you mix some Premo in it. It is a good what to use up your Sculpey if you are switching over.
Very Helpful for a newbie just starting out and trying to decide which clay to purchase! Thank you :)
Cindy..Thank you for sharing all the info that you do ! I love working with the polymer clay and you have taught me soooo much
Wow I am so trying the baking soda thing!?! Great idea thanks! One thing for sure, this test you did lets us know how AMAZING that Fimo translucent is to come out that clear/white after baking a whole hour! That says a lot about the product. I might use that in combination with Premo for jewelry. I really do appreciate these tests you do!
Hi, I have missed the baking sofa reference, checked comments too, no luck. May you share please
Thank you for making this video Cindy, I quickly gave you a "like" because doing experiments like this saves money for artists that aren't sure what they should be buying on the every growing hobby market. As a newbie I purchased Kato telling myself it was the most expensive it must be the best, well if it was true didn't matter, the clay was impossible to work with for me. I ran into the snapping issue displayed here. I know from this I'll try Premo for my translucent purchase!
Hi Nino, I've done lots of tests so I know it's true. Baking Sculpey III for 15 minutes will break. Try some test samples yourself & bend them back and forth, you'll see how easy they'll snap. The pieces you use it for are probably designed in a way that they aren't very susceptible to breaking in the first place. For example a round bead is most likely not going to break because there are no pieces on it that would bend. But a little figurine with thin arms would break. Try it, you'll see.
this was so helpful! I wasn't sure which would be best for some of my upcoming projects.
Hi MitsukiChanEtc, Fimo bakes at a much lower temp than most of the other brands of clay. Although I do like to bake my pieces longer than the time it says on the package, I always bake that the temperature that it says. If your clay is discolouring, it means your oven is too hot. It sounds like the dial on your oven is wrong (most are), you need to get a separate oven thermometer to make sure that your oven is at the right temperature. For more baking info go to my blog. (Link in description).
Bro no one did clay earrings back then then now days ypur video was very helpful thank you 🤘🏼🌸
Hi BlackDawnYaoiLover , the packaging for Sculpey III and Premo is the same in Canada as it is in the States. The packs that look different are the older ones.
Hi randommeghan, translucent clay is a little bit see through, so it lets more light into it. For a lot of the Faux techniques like Faux Jade for example, the stone has a transparent look to it and you can see some light through it when you hold it up to a light. Using translucent clay makes it look more realistic and less flat. Get some and try it out... you'll see why people use it. Have fun!
Thank you so much for this! I use to work with polymer clay years and years ago before translucent colors were really available. I found myself in need of making a custom earring set and wanted part of it transparentish. It's been so long since I worked with the clay that I didn't know what, if anything, has changed and how translucent the translucent clays really are. Your video answered my question, and also showed the durability, which is also something I didn't even consider until I watched your video. You are also a pleasure to watch, so I'm off to bring myself up to speed with your other videos!
Hi MontyVonT - there is lots of info at my blog (link in description) about the different brands of clay and what they are best suited for.
Can u mix translucent clay and regular colored clay so it's colored see through clay?
You can, but you'll loose some transparency. They sell translucent clay that's pre colored :).
Yeah the problem with Sculpey III is that if you don't bake it longer it will definitely break. One of the worst for breakage on the market. It does however discolor the longer it is baked. You can minimize that however, if you bake your Sculpey III pieces buried in a dish of cornstarch or baking soda. I suppose I could do another video of this type with times closer to the recommended time, but you'll be surprised at just how weak the pieces will be. Try it yourself you'll see what I mean.
Hi Crafty Moon, Clay burns only when the temp is too high. Not because it is in too long. At the right temp you can bake most clays for hours and they won't burn. (Some brands like Sculpey III might get darker but they won't burn.) Get an oven thermometer. That will tell you what temp your oven is actually at. On my blog (link up above in description) you can do a search for 'burning clay' or 'baking' and find tons of info on baking that will help you. Hope that helps!
This is a very interesting comparison, thank you for all your videos! One note I have is that I tested a very very old piece of Fimo Transparent and even on the thinnest setting I wasn't able to break it. It is true that it might have been in a batch I baked at a higher temperature (new oven and no over thermometer at the time). I guess I need to test more this idea of baking at higher temperatures, because almost all my old clays (some 6-8 years old), softened with baby oil, turned out very very strong (it did darken them, though).
I'm glad someone did a review of translucent clays. Sculpy III is junk no matter what color it is. I also like Premo the most. Thanks for taking the time to inform us on which brands are the best for translucency!
I really like the premo translucent clay when im making minature foods.
I bought a bunch of premo polymer clays yesterday MY FIRST POLYMER CLAYS! I bought the regular non soft premo because i'm going to make polymer clay cane eyeballs then after baking the eyes add them to the doll's head and sculpt a face around them.
I did found it very helpful, I'm so happy I bought the right brand for the right project! thank you
Have you done another test of the Kato at their recommended temp and baking time? If so, then how did it compare?
I took your advice n bought 1lb of premo translucent white. Sculpy does break really easy in thin sheets. I make doll accessories with polymer clay and i find it hard to get the thin details if i use sculpy even if i bake for an hour or 15 minutes it just falls apart at the slightest pressure.
Thank you Cindy! Was very helpful thank you for sharing!!! Liz x
Hi! This is Korean fan of PCT~!
PCT you really are amazing tutor ever..!!
I really wanna know which brand is the most clearest, so you just give me an answer~ Thank you so much..!
All of PCT's vids are wonderful!
Happy new year~!
Welcome from Korea punkshu! Thank you for your kind words! This video on Pardo Translucent shows it to be the clearest clay that I know of: Pardo Translucent Professional Art Clay Review Next clearest is Premo White Translucent which I mostly use.
I am so happy that I bought Premo white translucent! I am going to be sculpting Zero from The Nightmare Before Christmas. I didn't want to use my white since he is a ghost. I am even more excited. I need to come in the mail grr. lol
I will be doing a review of Pardo clay soon. A local member generously offered some of her supply to try out, since where I was going to order from was out of stock.
Hi Allison Nguyen, a specific video on keeping clay clean would be good for me to do here. Thanks for the suggestion! I do have lots of info on my blog (link in description) though if you need help right away. Just type 'keeping clay clean' into the search box at the top of the blog page and some posts will show up that will help you. Good luck!
i love your reviews!!! you answered so many questions that i was thinking. keep up the great work!
first comment .o.
Great breakdown on the different properties that the different brands of polymer clays exhibit; the most informative I've been able to find. I'm wondering now if you also have one regarding the pros/cons of using each them, IE: what kinds of projects each may be best suited for and why.
Thanks for sharing what you know!
Mz VonTwiz
Great video! Thank you! As some one else already suggested, a video on how to kerp your clay clean, would be So helpful..! I have lots of trouble with dust (it's a 100yrs old house, it's in the walls, everywhere no matter what you do) and also cathair. I go nuts with my babywipes all over, but still my clay isn't clean.. :/ Suggestions? :)
I feel like you deserve way more then 6,000 subscribers for some reason
Thanks for the comparisons. I've been wondering about whether clay can ever be transparent or translucent.
The browning has to be from the 1 hour baking... I know, I know.. we talked about this in another of your videos lol.. That sculpey III turned the darkest cause it has the shortest bake time of 15 minutes. (makes since) I recently switched to Premo and it has 30 minutes. I would have loved to see a identical video like this one but with "closer" to recommended baking temps.
Interesting test results. The Premo and Fimo look pretty good, while the Sculpey III is reminiscent of having grade 4+ cataracts, tbh 😬 So, yeah, that would be a hard pass on the Sculpey III translucent if I ever use polymer clay 😄
Would you be able to do a video on tips of how to avoid browning or scorching white polymer clay?
Hi cindy, I would like to ask a question that might sound rather trivial. Why do you use translucent clay, what's its purpose?? I mean why and how do people use it in their projects??
Dear Cindy, Did you ever get around to working with KATO clay using the suggested time settings? I have heard it was supposed to cure a lot clearer and closer to it's uncured color. I love this tutorial by the way. Thank you.
Thanks Rose Abbott No I have not done further testing on Kato Polyclay yet. (Too many things to try and not enough time!) From my members who do use Kato, they say that they have found 40 minutes at 300F to be the most ideal for Kato. But since I have not done the testing myself I can not be positive on that. I do hope I can get to more testing in the new year. Thanks for your comment!
i currently have sculpey III and i do not like it ... i am looking more towards premo so im gonna have to buy some and try it out ! thankyou for making this !
I didn´t know that in US you use cards instead of inches or cm! Amazing.
hi cindy, can you do a demo on pardo translucent clay? thanks :)
Just found this video and thank you for uploading it, as I wondered about the different clays. I found exactly as you found, but did this before I knew you had already taken care of this. Two other things I found ... the Kato, at the recommended temp with longer bake time was very, very hard and I couldn't break it (thicker sample at about 6 cards). The other thing I found and for me, a deal breaker, is the difficult and lengthy conditioning process. Geez ... Kato took a long time to condition and due to that, I returned 18 packages of Kato clay and will stick with my Premo. LOL.
Thank you again for your video.
That was a good side by side test but it would have been nice to see pardo clay tested with them too.
Hi,
if you ever go to Argentina, there's a polymer clay called NCV Modelismo. It is quiet good to be honest.
Thanks for making such a great video. I origionally bought the Sculpey translucent clay and tried to bake something at the settings it recommends on the package and it completely burnt. I know it is not my oven because I bake all my other polymer clay objects in the same oven all the time. Based on your testing, maybe I should try out the Fimo or Premo translucent clay.
can you please do a video on how to keep you clay clean before and after baking?
Very helpful and eye-opening. Thank you!
Thanks for this, you have potentially saved me from wasting my money :-)
Hi 101raindrop1, check out my video on baking your polymer clay for 1 hour instead of only 10 or 15 min. You will see it makes an enormous difference in strength and if you use Premo clay and bake at 265F-275F using an oven thermometer, you will not have any issues with burning or discoloring. The manufacturers just put those times on the pack, because they know people's oven are most often off temp and they don't want people to burn their clay. Do the tests... you'll see.
Awesome vid! How would I go about adding colour tho? I'm after a translucent blue for my next project.
Thank you Nukawin There are many ways to tint translucent clay. You can use a tiny bit of colored clay, alcohol ink, even Sharpies. I will add this topic to my list of future videos. Thanks for commenting!
Hey there, I have just started with polymer clay, and I really enjoy your tutorials. I have a dumb question: What is translucent clay used for? Can you dye it with ink or paint, so that you don't have to buy multiple colors of clay? But then you would have to buy multiple colors of ink. I have never seen it used in any of the RUclips videos that I've watched to make beads. Thanks for your input.
Awesome video as always Cindy! Do you have any information available for the best way to condition translucent clay to help with plaque deposits, bubbles, etc?
Definitely helpful! Thanks so much :D Liked and subscribed!
Hello I'm looking at using Translucent Clay for making hollow crystals to be used as light filters in a LARP system I attend
Questions:
1: How would I go about giving it a Blue tint (similar to a lens Filter)
2: Once baked how are they with dealing with heat
thank you.. this is really helpful..
I'm so glad that you did this comparison! Thank you so much for bringing us another great tutorial. I just wish I had watched it BEFORE I bought my Sculpey III Translucent. :(
Do you think you'll be doing another one for some of the other types like Translucent Pardo Professional Art Clay or Cernit?
I'm having so much fun with this craft and testing stuff. It's like science class only better!
Thanks writerbethd! Here is a review on Pardo Translucent Pardo Translucent Professional Art Clay Review
Seems like an hour is quite long amount of time for such thin sheets of clay. With premo I recently baked a 3/4-1 inch thick little pig for about 25 ish minutes and it was baked nicely with no problems. Why did they turn yellow? Well, thanks for your video!! ☺
I want to add something g to my comment. I am NOT an experienced polymer clay artist and have very little experience. I have been watching Polymer Clay Artists videos for months now and have learned so much! Thank you!! My previous comment is that of a very new clay artist. Just wanted to relay my own personal experienc!! Thanks!!
You are the best! Will you please do this again with cernit?
Thank you!
Hi Vanessa Arias - I do to :-) ... Be sure to tell all your Polymer Clay friends about our Channel :-) :-)
Thanks for the video. I am brand new at this craft and will be making basket centers with the clay. I purchased Kato and it should be arriving anyday now. What is the best best brand of oven to purchase for this process that doesn't take up a lot of space or do you use the kitchen oven?
have you ever tried Cernit translucent? I have found it to be the most translucent of all the clays that I have tried.
Hi ***** no I haven't tried Cernit yet. Soo many products to try... and sooo little time!
I´ve heard that cernit is the BEST from all polymer clays, it doesn't break never, but it's difficult to get in in some countries
paty to I haven't tried it myself since it is not easily available here in Canada, but when I get the chance I will. It sounds like an interesting clay!
you are a cool smart lady....thanks for the info!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
premo white translucent is my absolute favorite clay to work with.
where did you get that set with all of those little drawers for clay? i use plastic bags in a drawer right now but omg that is a genius set up i need it in my life.
Hi Vic Chaotic watch this: Storing Polymer Clay in Small Plastic Drawers
oh great thank you so much!!
Sorry if this is a silly question but does mixing a bit of red with translucent turn it pink after its baked? or would it keep its normal color?
That's weird, I already answered this... wonder where my answer went? No worries. The raw clay will look kind of pinkish but when it is baked it will go bake to red... a more translucent red, but still red.
Thank you very much! :)
PolymerClayTutor g
Thank you for the test. Is Premo toxic when used as cup to hold hot water?
Thank you so much for a great video! I'm just getting interested in working with polymer clay, and this is a HUGE help. I'll do a search, but have you ever used alcohol ink on polymer? If so, did you like the results?
I use sculpey III and it is perfectly fine! dose not breake or crack, but i bake it fo 15 min. maby that is why yours breakes? if you would do a test on that and make a video I would realy appreciate. tanks.
thank you. great info.
I think I would use Kati or Sculpy III for replicating alabaster otherwise I like the other two for the whiter translucent look.
Love your channel. In general do you prefer Premol?
Yes Premo is an excellent clay that works for most claying situations. Plus it is wonderful for color mixing!
Thank you for the information as I'm just a beginner to polymer clay.
Thank you very much for a response. ^^ From now on, I will bake it on lower temperature. Keep doing your job, you're great. Surbscribed.
Hi Cindy! I'm pretty new to claying and I've bought all Sculpey III clays. I've just watched your video and will be purchasing a better brand for the future. If I leached some of the oil from the Sculpey, would that make it stronger?
Thanks! You are right about light colors darkening if baked longer then suggested. The problem is if they're not baked longer, they are not as strong as they should be. Check out my RUclips video called How Long Do You Bake Polymer Clay? ~ Ten Minutes is NOT Long Enough. You'll see what I mean. You can help with browning issues by tenting the clay or burying your pieces in Baking Soda (Bicarbonate of Soda). Hope that helps!
Oh! Thank-you so much for this test!!!
Dear Cindy, I would to ask you if ever we can mix white sculpy 3 with polymer clay or premo accents or premo, I have with me some with and ecru that I bought by mistake at Michaels and brought it with me in Europe, so I wonder if I can mix it or if I can use it as a base so I can cover it with slices of canes made of Fimo or Premo. Thank you
I am a beginner and I am researching what I need to start and a lot call for e.g. 20% translucent and the rest a certain colour. Can you explain why you would need to mix translucent please?
I would like to thank you for your channel as you have helped me get started!! ❤️
You're welcome! People often add translucent to make light enter the clay a little more and give the clay color more depth and make it look more realistic. You'll find this is especially the case with things like flowers, dolls, even things like miniature food.
+PolymerClayTutor ahhh! Thank you very much!
Cindy is it true that the longer you bake the clay the stronger it is? I also would like to know how long you bake a cuff bracelet that it will be flexible?
Yes that is generally correct! You may want to do some testing to figure out the perfect temp and time for your oven, type of clay you're using and the project you're making, but in most cases when I am working with Premo or Souffle, I bake everything for an hour at 275F. Hope that helps!
Good video. I’m wondering, since this was done 7 years ago, if anything has changed in the interim?
There are a few new brands of translucent clays on the market like Cernit, Pardo, BeeSPutty, PVClay and others, but the info in this video stands the test of time (most of my videos do actually). 🙂
PolymerClayTutor I figured but you never know when formulas get improved. I just bought the premo translucent but it’s surprisingly hard to find white translucent 1lb online.